Water scoop for locomotives



Dec. 22, 1931. I 1,837,739

WATER SCOOP FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed May 15, 1931 Patented Dec. 22, 1931 cmiv roiv L. WALKER, F'mmom cl memagl we V i WATER s'coor ront'ocomo'rxvns j ,Applicationdfiled May 15,

This invention pertains to railway; locomotives'and tendersand more particularly to the means for replenishing the supply of waterfor the boilers when the engine is in d 5 motion. By the present practice water may be scooped from long troughs situated alongside the rails or between them, but this practice is confined to level tangents on the line wherethe water may be contained in level troughs, In a patent issued to J. Wilkes,

Number 1,516,258, November 18, 19% it is disclosed'ho'w water might bescoop ed on an inclined section of a railroad which I will refer to in this application as a grade, by means of a multiplicity of level troughsat successive elevations corresponding to the grade of the track these troughs being .co'n-. nected byguide members for a follower-on the scoop, but applicantis not aware this 20 method has ever been put in practice. f

It is theobject of this invention to provide means for scooping water'from a; continuous" single unit inclined trough on a grade where the water would not remain at the proper level to permit of scooping. It isthe present practice'on hilly or mountainous sections of the road either to provide a level section where leveltroughs may beprovided or else to have water tanks of the usual types 0 where the engine must stopto receivewater.

It is perfectly obvious that in them'ountainous sections the engines require more water than they do ona'similarlength of level line as the 'powerrequired is'greater. It is also well known that it is difficult to start a long train onan up grade, and hence it is objectional to have to stop the train to receive water and that itwould beva 'benefit'to provide means for scooping water on inclined sections '40 of the line, By theword line, I-refer' tofthe railway roadway including the roadbcd' and rails, etc., overwhich the trains run. By scooping water, lmean'the usual method of scooping thewater'into the water tank of the tender by the use of a scooped pipe, whereby the velocity of the engine forces the water up and through the pipe into the Water 'reservoir. 1 My invention consists in providing an inolinedtroughpositioned adjacent the'trac k in'the' proper position for scooping andto provide a continuo'ussup'ply ofwater at the upper end of the'trough tomaintaina proper amount or" water throughout thelength of the m trough to permit of scoopin' This may be accomplished in several di erent :Waysi-by' providing a continuous water supply atthe head end ofthe trough "and" allowing. the J 7 water to escape atthe lower end,'by"providing a controlledsu'pply at thefupper. end,V whereby the water supply willbe turned on as the train approaches andturned ofl' after the train hasfpa'ssed; This" canbe accomsplished by well-known electrical methods,

whereby' the approachingtrain closes the opcrating switch aidrhittingjthe operating current to the-control mechanism which turns on the water. It may b'e accomplished providing a reservoirpreferably at the up- V fper end of the trough with. avalve and automatic or manualtcontrol means vwherebythe water may be turned on when wanted, At the lower end of the trough there would be pref- V erab'ly' 'a sump for the water to flow into after a r it has passed.through thetrough' and from thissumpthe water would be pumped back intothe reservoir at the'head ofsthetrough.

This. pump could be automatically controlled by well known methods such, for instance, as by a float in the sumpor it could be manually "1 controlled or bothIThe operation of the preferred form would be about as follows the valve toadmit; waterfrom the reservoir to the-upper end of the trough. This should be timed so that. the "water would reachthe lower endof thetrough byI'the time the locomotive had reached the lower, end of thefjijb t-rough." The watenwouldbe scoooped in the" supply would be closed. As the water at the 9355 lower end of the sumprose thefio'at, or oth er f -mean's would start the sump; pump and the I water would be returned to there'servoir at the upper end-off the 'trough;

h 'a r o s hinsi rain wbu m cally close theoperating switch which opens one. form-which theinvention m akt i exemplified by the accompanying drawings in which an'inclined section 1 t e tmkand termi nates in its lower .end in sump. 3, having an overflow outlet 4. Water pump 5 driven by motor 7 and controlledvby automaticswitch 8 through wires 9 and '10' connecting the rails of this insulated {section of the track,

' pumps .water from sump 3, through suction I I pipel9- and outlet {pipe 6 into reservoiralfi,

,ed sectioniozf the track; 17 is a; pipe line tor replenishing the water supply in; reservoir 16; 15 is apipe line for filling trough l in .havin'g an outlet'pipe 14, controlled by an automatic valve 13, which is, electrically operated by meansiof wires 1:1 and 12, con

nected respectively to rails "2 ot this insulatthose cases/ where the continuous supply; of

wateris available. I c

,Fig. 3 z is. a: sidef elevation illustrating. an

7 optional for maof trough which is: raised to I scoop; water fI IQmLLthe position shown in i Fig.

an elevated position alongside the inclined track forscooping water from trains which are fmoyingso "slowly that they could .not

2. Excepting for the. raised position of; the

of Fig, 3,; the system would be the ,sa'meaandzithe method of using the same as i 1 thatemployed; in the system ,illustratedin Fig,

' r v Asthe.v trainiapproaches[the (s ou h 1. the

" 7 v -:The.- pew-n65. bro the-device wand, be as follows; v .7

' water scoop QOislowered intoits scooping position, The-elevation of the rails and the trough 1 being relatively such as to. permit the. waters to be scooped Without interference v when. scoop 20, is. in its lowered position.

As soon .asthe locomotivereaches the insulatedjsection of the track, the contact ot the wheels. with 1 the 3 rails closes the.. ClIClllt through the axles and actuatesthe auto-' matic' switch 8; and admits current to motor 7 V 7; and thus" starts; operation of pump,

Likewise the circuitris also closed' fori the ,electrically operatedfivalve 13, and which opens the valve 13 and admits waterinto the open end of trough -13, Theinsulated section V of the-roadwould-have to. be of'such length 7 5 as togip'crmit 'thewwater from reservoir. to V V Preach thelowerrend-ofthetroughsimultane;

ously' or; priorto the; scooping {operationj the scooping operation is finished and thelwaten remaining-in the trough l j will a-the trainpasses ;out of theinsuhted section to the track, the-pump ceases operation-- and the electrically? operated 1valvecloses, and

described Q p t ng o the spirit v theappended I 'claims. V

upper to itslowerend, and so locatedwith v upperjportion from the lower end of said troughto storage facilities-at the upper end of the trough. f

drain into the sump. If a continuous supit ply ofwater is available it would be only necessary to have a continuous supply of of the pipe line, allowing the excess water water at the upper end of trough 1 by means to escape from the sump through theiover- While Ihave provided for an. automatic electrically operated switch for the pump it is obvious that other means of control would do as well sueh'for instance, as a float valve in the sump whereby the motor and the'pump would be in operation whenever the water in the sump was abovea determined level. V While I "have shown the preferred em- V =bodimentof my invention and the preferred application thereof, it is to be understood that various changes may be'madejin construction. ofthe apparatus and; that the ap:

paratus may beput to uses otherthanthose of the invention as defined in I Havingthus describedmy invention what Is -claim and desire to secure byLetters'Pata 1'. An inclined water trough liaving'a longitudinal grade parallel to the gradeof the I adjacent railway track, and so constructed as i toper'mit the flow of running waterjfrom its upper to itslower end,and soijlocatedwith c respect to the trackas topermitjof scooping water from said trough by passing locomotives, and meansfor supplying running water in said troug-hwhen and as required; h V

2. Anincl-ined water troughhaving a longi-tudinaligrade parallel to the grade of the adj acent railway track, and so constructed as to permit the-flow ofrunningwater from'its respect to the track as to permit of scooping water; from said trough by passing locomotive,;and' means for-supplying water at the tinuously. V r h V 3; Aninclinedwater trough having a lonof said inclined trough con- 11:10

gitudinal gradecorresponding to thegrade of the adjacent railwaytrack andsolocated with respecttheretoasto permit of scooping water from said trough by passing locomotives, and means for supp ying water at the upperportion of said inclined trough when require-d, and'means' for? returning; the water f 4. Aninclinedwater trough having a loll :gitudinal grade parallel to thegrade of the ,adjacent railway track, and solocated with I respects-thereto: as to permit of scooping water from'saidtrough by passing locomo-.

tives,:a'nd means for supplying water-1 atthe upper portion of said inclined trough when required, and'means for returning the water from thellower end' of saidtrough to storage c facilities attheupper end ofipthe g and means operated by passing trains for controlling said water supply means.

5. An inclined water trough having a lon-, gitudinal grade parallel to the grade of the adjacent railway track, and so constructed as to permit the flow of running water from its upper end to its lower end, and elevated above said railway track to a position substantially level with the top. of the locomotive tender and in such a position and at such an elevation as to facilitate scooping water from said trough by passing locomotives.

6. An inclined water trough having a longit-udinal grade parallel to the grade of the adjacent railway track, and so constructed as to permit the flow of running water from its upper to its lower end, and elevated above said track to a position substantially level.

with the top of the locomotive tender and in such a position and at such an elevation as to facilitate scooping waterfrom said trough by passing locomotives, and means for supplying water at the upper portion of said inclined trough when required,'and meansfor returning the water from the lower end of said troughto storage facilities at the upper end of the trough. r

7. An inclined water trough havinga longitudinal grade parallel to the grade'of the adjacent railway track, and; so constructed as to permit the flow of running water from its upper to its lower end, and elevated above returningthe water from the lower end of said trough to storage facilities at the upper end of the trough, and means operated by passing trains for controlling said water sup. ply means.

CLINTON L. WALKER. 

